1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toner supply system, especially a toner supply system that is suited to be provided in an image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic copying machine or printer, for supplying toner to the apparatus, and relates to a toner container used for the toner supply system.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, for the purpose of replenishing toner consumed for image formation, a toner supply system is provided. With the toner supply system, a toner container stored with toner is detachably mounted in an apparatus body, and an appropriate amount of toner is supplied from the toner container to the apparatus body. It is to be noted that the toner supplied by this toner supply system is further measured and adjusted so that an amount of toner consistent with a consumed amount can be supplied to a development device.
This kind of toner container is mountable in and dismountable from a receiving section in the apparatus body. The toner container is substantially in the shape of a cylinder, and while the toner container is mounted in the receiving section, it can be rotated on the axis of the cylinder. On the inner wall of the cylindrical toner container, a spiral convex or fin is formed, and as the toner container is rotated, the spiral convex or fin serves to feed toner to a toner supply port made in the receiving section. The toner container has no choice but to have a smaller supply-side opening than the outer diameter of the toner container for the reason of spatial restriction. Therefore, there is an upslope or a step in the vicinity of the supply-side opening, which is an obstacle to the toner feed.
Meanwhile, there has recently been a tendency to use low-melting-point toner. As the low-melting-point toner is stored under high temperature, the fluidity thereof becomes low. When the toner container stored with low-fluidity toner is mounted in the receiving section, even the function of the spiral convex or fin as a feeder cannot satisfactorily resolves stagnation of toner in the vicinity of the supply-side opening, where the toner feed is inhibited. This makes it difficult to ensure a toner supply be conducted satisfactorily.
There have been proposed a toner supply apparatus and a toner bottle described in Japanese Patent No. 4423140 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 1111-305531 for resolving stagnation of toner, but those have not necessarily exerted sufficient effects.